Battery terminal connection clamp



April 25, 1939. c.- R. GRAVES ET Ax.

BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTION CLAMP Filed Deo. '7, 1957 r j I 5 M, 5 M 5M, M/ 7 f, W M f4 4 L i @7T/ ./Z a /IPN -L ,L Z f. 22V/ .M, H@v V-| w 5 Q z w d W aienteci 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,158,013 BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTION CLAMP Carl R. Graves and John C. Stout, Clarion, Iowa Application December 7, 1937, Serial No. 178,610 3 Claims. (Cl. 173-259) This invention relates to battery terminal connectors, and more particularly, to an improved clamp for use with a battery cable to facilitate the engagement and removal of the cable from the terminal post of the battery.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved cable connector for a battery terminal post which is so constructed that it may be readily adjusted to different sizes of terminal l0 posts, and which embodies means whereby the tightening bolt can be readily loosened so as to break up any corrosion which may form between the bolt and the clamping ears of the connector.

Another object of this invention is to provide a connector which may be used with battery cables, and which embodies means whereby the connector may be removed from the post by means of a screw driver or other tool so that the connector may be quickly removed from the terminal post of the battery in the event any corrosion occurs between the connector and the post.

A further object of this invention is to provide a connector of this type which is so constructed that in the event corrosion eats oil a portion of the clamping device, the connector may still be used with the cable and the post so that the breaking of one portion of the connector clamping means will not make necessary the immediate replacement of the connector.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several viewsz- Figure 1 is a top plan of a clamp constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a. detailed side elevation of the clamp.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and showing the tightening yoke in released position with the bill of a screwdriver inserted therein to pry the clamp off of the terminal post.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan of the clamp.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral III designates generally, a battery terminal clamp comprising a pair of integral clamping arms II and I2 having a socket I3 xedly secured thereto. I'he conilguration of the socket I3 may be varied t0 Buit different conditions, but in the present instance, this socket I3 is constructed in substantially U-shape so that the bared end of a cable I 4 may be engaged in the socket I3, and the open sides of this socket I3 may be pressed together so as to tightly clamp the end of the cable I4 there- 6 in. In addition to this manner of holding the end of the cable I 4, the cable may also be soldered or otherwise rmly secured in the socket I 3.

- 'I'he clamping member II is provided with an outstanding ear I5, and the clamping member 10 I 2 is provided with an ear I6 disposed in substantially parallel relation to the ear I5, and these ears I5 and I6 are adapted to receive therethrough a tightening bolt I'I,

A substantially u-shaped tightening yoke ls is 16 adapted to have the parallel legs I9 and 20 pivotally mounted on the bolt I1 on the outer sides of the ears I5 and IB respectively, and the leg member I9 is provided with an outstanding lug 2I adapted to engage against the head 23 of the 20 bolt I'I so as to hold bolt I'I against turning relative to the yoke I8.

'I'he tightening nut 22 is threaded onto the opposite end of the bolt I'I and engages against the leg member 20 of the yoke I8. Preferably, the 25 clamping members II and I2 are provided with shoulders 24 and 25 respectively, against which the ends of the leg members I9 and 20 are adapted to engage when the yoke I8 is in clamping position so as to limit the swinging movement of the 30 yoke I8 beyond a substantially horizontal position or a position substantially aligning with the longitudinal axis of the connector.l

The ear I6 is provided on the outer side thereof with a cam face 26 and the leg 20 of the yoke I8 35 is provided with a cam member or inwardly extending lug 2'l engageable with the cam 26 so as to draw the two ears I5 and I6 toward each other when the yoke I 8 is swung to a substantiallyv horizontal operative or clamping position. 40

In the use and operation oi' this connector clamp, the cable I 4 is xed in the socket I3 and the clamping arms II and I2 are then slipped over the tapered top of the battery terminal post. Initially the yoke I8 is in substantially vertical 45 released position, and when the clamping arms II and I2 are disposed about the terminal post, 'the yoke I 8 is then swung downwardly to a substantially horizontal position thus forcing the ears I5 and I8 toward each other and tightening the 50 clamping members II and I2 about the terminal post.

In the event the substantially quarter turn of the yoke I8 is not suiilcient to tightly clamp the damping members II and I2 on the terminal u post,thenutilmaybetishtenedwiththeyoko Il in a released position. It will be apparent from this that the terminal clamp or connector may be used with either terminal of the battery. and the clamping members II and I2 may be initially adjusted so as to properly engage the post when in clamping position.

'111e movement of the yoke I8 from a releasedto a clamping position will, by reasonv of the lug ll, also eifect turning of the bolt I1. This movement is also eflected during the movement of the yoke Il to a released position so that in the event the corrosion about the battery terminal post and the connector substantially freezes the bolt Il in the ears II and Il, the movement of the yoke Il will loon the bolt I1 in theears II and Il. When the yoke I8 is in a substantially vertical released position, a tool in the form of a screwdriver or handle of a wrench may be insorted in the loop formed by this yoke I8 with one end of the tool resting on the top of the termina! post. The tool may then be used as a lever to forcibly pull the clamping arms II and I2 off of the terminal post.

This connector or clamp is adapted to be constructed of non-eorrodible material so that it will not be eaten or otherwise affected by corrosion occurring about the terminal post due to the escape of gases about the terminal post.

n It is. of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention withouty departing from the spirit thereof, such changes u and modications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What we claim is:

l. A battery post clamp comprising' a split clamping member, a cable socket carried by said 40 member, a pair of spaced apart parallel ears carried by the free ends of said clamping member, a bolt engaging through said ears, a u-shaped tightening member straddling said ears and mounted on said bolt to be oscillated relative to the ears, a cam on one of said ears. and a cam carried by said tightening member engageable with said ilrst cam whereby to draw said ears toward each other upon rocking of said tightening member in one direction, and means securing the tightening member to the bolt to effect turning of the bolt with said means.

2. A battery post clamp comprising a split clamping member, means for attaching a cable to said member, a pair of spaced apart ears carried by the free ends of said member. a headed bolt passing through and connecting 'said ears, a U- shaped tightening member having spaced apart legs straddling said ears and having the bolt passing therethrough, coacting cam meanscarried by at least one of said ears and at least one los" of said U-shaped member to draw said ears toward each other upon rocking of said U-shaped member in one direction, and means carried by the other leg of the U-member engaging the head of the bolt to eillect turning of the bolt with the U-member.

3. A battery post clamp comprising a split clamping member, means for attaching a cable to said member, a pair of spaced apart ears carried by the free ends of said member, a headed bolt engaging through said ears. a U-shaped tightening member having spaced apart legs straddling the ears and through which the bolt passes, coacting cam means carried by at least one of said ears and at least one leg of said U- shaped members to draw said ears toward each other upon rocking of said U-shaped member in one direction, and a lug carried by said U-shaped member engaging the head of said bolt to eifect turning of the bolt with said U-shaped member, to break away corrosion from between the bolt and ears.

CARL R. GRAVES. JOHN C. STOUT. 

